Have you ever wanted to set up a feng shui aquarium? The idea was first broached by Technohub on a hot and humid summer evening.

He had this notion that the presence of water inside the house may cause a cooling effect. Of course, being Chinese, he knew that the water element, when placed properly, will bring good fortune to the home.

I actually loved the idea (of getting rich! Woot! Thus the name, Project: Gold, hahaha). Besides, I was running out of tricks to keep the kids entertained during this summer break. So we immediately went to work on it.

First, I googled the how-to’s. I came across thesearticles on tips for setting up a feng shui aquarium:

To attract energy for wealth and prosperity, the aquarium must be placed in the southeast area of the home.

Aquariums placed in the southeast direction should be rectangular in shape.

Never place an aquarium in the bedroom or the kitchen, as these areas should always be ruled by the fire element, the opposite of water.

Arrowanas and goldfish are good feng shui wealth fish. It is recommended to keep one arrowana or 9 (some sites say 8; the number is debatable) goldfish, with one being black.

Avoid having 2, 5, 7 or 10 fish together in an aquarium.

Avoid red-colored fish, as this is of the fire element and will work against the water element. (The idea is to create harmony among elements.)

The black fish (ideally a Black Moor) is meant to absorb negative energy in the home. If the black fish dies, it means there’s a strong negative force in the home.

It’s important to keep the fish and aquarium healthy. The water must always be clear, and the fish free from sickness.

If any of the fish dies, replace it with a bigger and more expensive kind.

An aerator that makes bubbles in the aquarium will enhance feng shui energies.

Lights will also enhance the good chi. Good lighting is important for fish health. Sylvania light bulbs and other brands of aquarium lights should provide adequate light.

Armed with these, the family went shopping around for equipment. We finally settled to purchase the tank, tank stand and other equipment (filters, aerator,and accessories) from Manila Aquatic Center, an aquatic shop along Blumentritt Street, Manila that’s been there ever since my husband could recall.

Owners Jojo and Kathy Cotaoco are very accomodating. They even delivered the equipment to our home (for a fee), and set up the aquarium (for free!). And the first inhabitant, Helga, was a starter-gift from them.

Clockwise: Wang, a black moor (RIP); Ying, a redcap Oranda (RIP); this trio (Ching, Ying and Yoko), which came from the same tank at a shop, loves to huddle under the driftwood; Helga, a common fantail, is a starter-gift from an aquatic shop.

A rare complete-attendace photo of all nine original inhabitants. Top row, L to R: Liang, a shubunkin; Yoko, a calico ryukin; Bumpkin, a fan tail. Bottom row, L to R: Wang, a black moor (RIP); Ying, a redcap Oranda (RIP); Helga, the original inhabitant, also a fantail; Shoobie, a shubunkin; Ching, a lionhead; Choo, another fantail.

That was three weeks ago. Fast forward to today:

We’ve had 2 fatalities already. 🙁 Wang, the black moor, died because I was in a playful mood and took him out of the tank. While I held it in my cupped hads, Nate suddenly lunged and grabbed it. One eye was injured, and it probably died of infection the next day. I’m sorry now I ever brought it out. A lesson I had to learn the difficult way. *sigh*

Ying, our red cap Oranda, died due to tail rot. It seemed to be doing fine days before it died. One morning, Ying wasn’t moving a lot; I noticed its tail was ragged and had red streaks. I tried to treat it with a medication, but I guess it was too late. 🙁

Yesterday, I bought another ryukin that we named Ferb. I hope he is healthy and will live a long life along with the other inhabitants.

Taking care of a feng shui aquarium does have a calming effect though! Sometimes I just sit in front of the tank and watch the fish. Fish-watching has become a favorite family time, especially after dinner. Everyone (even ateJo!) gathers around the tank – just watching. I know it sounds a bit over-the-top, but it’s enthralling to watch them goldfish gracefully swimming around, sometimes playfully chasing each other.

I’m not sure how effective this feng shui aquarium is at attracting wealth energies, but I’m thankful enough for the bonding and good cheer this project is bringing to my family.

Manang, you should try again. hehe. I figured it’s a nice way to teach the kids pet responsibility without too much hassle. Pero sobrang difficult when they get sick ha. I’m at the petshop almost daily buying meds and equipment. And of course, google is my best friend sa research as fish-doctor! LOL

Nice big aquarium you have there!
It’s true that whatever ‘feng shui’ magic you do with it, or without it, having something like that at home is very calming. We also feed the fish together after our dinner.
Our mini shark by the way, is not mini anymore! LOL! So we might be moving them to a bigger tank too, wish us luck!

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I started blogging in 2006 after giving birth to Nate, partly due to boredom. :) I really just wanted to try creating an online journal about my kids, and also to see if the knack for writing was still there.
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